In sausage production, above all in the processing of natural casings, the time needed for threading or stringing the casings onto a filling tube constitutes a factor that considerably decreases the output. The use of a twist-off head with a plurality of filling tubes is therefore known (U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,505 A and DE 10 2007 025 583 A), so that it is still possible to fill a casing with one filling tube while a new casing is strung or spooled onto another filling tube. At least the filling tube located in the filling position and, if necessary, also the casing brake may be rotatingly drivable, inter alia, for portioning purposes. In the known devices the casing brake is moved away from the filling tube end for changing the casing, which requires that in this region a corresponding clearance has to be provided where chains or belts, or the like, which are per se provided for transportation, must be removed or displaced. This is disadvantageous and time-consuming because one must e.g. wait until portions still positioned on the belts or chains are transported away. The filling operation is interrupted only temporarily for rotating the new filling tube into the filling position and the used filling tube into the stringing or spooling position. The filling position will then be resumed immediately while the new casing is being spooled on and/or the used filling tube is exchanged. As a result, the device shows a positive performance record.
Furthermore, a device is known in practice (Vemag LPG 208, homepage of the company Vemag), in the case of which during change of the casing the casing brake remains stationary, whereas the twist-off head is shifted towards the filling machine. The filling tube located in the filling position is linearly moved out of the casing brake and is then pivoted by rotating the twist-off head into a stringing position. The twist-off head is subsequently moved forwards again towards the casing brake. At least two linear guides are needed that are mechanically complicated for the reason that they are telescopic, and also one additional supply telescope between the casing brake and a housing surrounding the twist-off head. Said components increase the maintenance and cleaning efforts and the overall weight of the device.